It’s a new year and a new opportunity to start fresh. And I’m not talking about the diet and weight loss resolutions that will “really happen” this year. This is about auditing the processes and platforms you have in place for customer support. And depending on what you discover in an audit, it could be time to implement new customer support software. Here are a few pointers to help you think about streamlining.
How do your customers prefer to contact support?
You millennials may go straight to social media for assistance and older customers may prefer to talk to someone on the phone. Evaluate how much activity you receive on each channel.
Review the ticket routing process.
What happens when a call comes in versus a request over chat? How are cases handled with a premier-level client versus someone on your entry level offering? You want to know what the routing process looks like for each of these scenarios.
Are your employees familiar with the company’s service standards?
And no, that’s not a rhetorical question. When we get into the groove with a job, we may forget some of the specific principles that should be part of every contact we have with a customer.
What can be done with your current software?
We’re all busy. Once we figure out the basics that are required for our jobs, such as using software to track customer support cases, we often miss additional features that may streamline our roles even more.
Do you have a self-service portal? And, is it easy to use?
Many customers are willing to help themselves. With an extensive knowledge base, you can save a lot of phone time for some of the simpler requests. Although you may encourage customers to find solutions on their own, make sure it is very simple for them to reach support if the answer is not found. Evaluate how often a case moves from self-service to a customer support agent. It’s possible the self-service portal needs an overhaul if customers find it does not provide clear solutions.
Ask your customers what needs improving in general when it comes to support.
Internally, we can identify what we think is wrong, but our customers can tell us what is really wrong. Include them in your process for an outside-in approach. Once you identify their key pain points, such as a long wait time, you know this is a top priority for change. If they complain your customer support software is confusing from their end, that signals another actionable item for improvement.
Based on what you discover, you may identify a need for additional staff training or increased communication internally. And it may also be time for a new platform that better meets your company’s unique needs.
- Does your support desk software integrate with other products?
- Can you customize it?
- Are phone calls easily turned into tickets?
- Is it mobile friendly?
- Does it offer predefined responses for standard questions?
- Are all your tickets in one place regardless of how they were received?
If you find a number of desired features are missing, it may be time to explore a new tool like HappyFox for the new year. Named PC Magazine’s Best Help Desk Software in 2015.
